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23 hours: Delhi to Kolkata

Trains are like mini communities, especially when you are travelling long distance. It’s almost like a home on wheels with mini stops of a few minutes to do your snacking and get some fresh air. I was invited by a friend for a wedding in Kolkata. So together we traveled in the normal sleeper class compartment all the way from Delhi to Kolkata.

I belonged to the category of what’s mine is mine, so my seat is my seat, especially as I was traveling long distance for the first time in a train. And it didn’t have AC, so all the more reason to have less smelly and sweaty people near me. I had to make it my home. My friend who belongs to Kolkata and had done this journey many times, was more mature and open to the sharing and caring. Train journeys can be such nice lessons in learning good behaviour and community welfare.

So he told me that I should accommodate every one on the planks during the morning hours and in the night we would get our berths back. This was a little difficult to believe that anyone would easily leave the seat and let us sleep. What if I wanted to sleep in the middle of the afternoon? It was exhausting to keep sitting all the time.

We were carrying some water bottles and sandwiches but not a meal. I had wanted to eat the greasy food from the station carts. Sometimes, it’s good to forget the calories and enjoy the experience.